Never Lose Hope
by Ko-Neko Haru
Summary: Mia has always been jealous of Andrew because he is treated so specially as a caravaner of the small village of Tipa. One day, Andrew invites Mia to come with him on next year's journey and help him out and cure his loneliness. Mia agrees.
1. Chapter 1 The Invitation

The tree swayed closer as the wind blew at full power, scattering the feathers of the chickens out in the yard. The plump, orange birds waddled about in a giddy way, signaling the true start of spring.

I just sat there on and wooden bench in our yard contently. Actually, almost, for the wind was blowing my tight ponytail behind me, and as soon as it died down, my own hair would smack me in the behind; not very funny. But I had much more important matters on my mind.

Ignoring my thoughts, I turned my attention to another matter. I hadn't eaten breakfast, as I was always the first person up in my humble village of Tipa, just before the first golden light of the morning peeked over the bumpy silhouette of the forest in the distance.

My lips were dried and tight. I ran past the chickens, causing them to scatter like their feathers. The path of earth leading towards the lake was always soft and clean in spring. Traces of melted snow remained, but barely enough to get in anyone's way.

I kneeled down at the lake, which was still and reflected the natural world around it so clearly. Everyone in the village knew the water was safe to drink as long as the crystal in the center of Tipa was purified with the liquid myrrh once a year. I put my hands in a cupped position and sipped the water peacefully. It tasted as fresh and cold as winter itself.

"It's quite a nice day outside, isn't it, Mia?" said a familiar haughty voice from behind.

I dropped my handful of water and whirled around once on my feet.

"You're quite right, Andrew," I said while curtsying to him. As much as I hated his guts, I was expected to show him the proper respect, as I was a lady, and a honored part of the Clavat tribe.

The Selkie smirked as I was practically forced to towards the ground. He walked in his own arrogant way next to me. His head was high, his chest was out, but as soon as he stopped, he looked at me with his grayish blue eyes. They were filled with fear and sorrow, something I have never seen possible in him.

I looked at him, but I knew he was digging deep into my own brown eyes. Mother said they looked like dark chocolate, smooth and warm.

My brown eyes matched my long hair, which was in a ponytail tied near the bottom. I wore a simple light-cream colored dress, only one a farmer's daughter would want to wear. I had a soft orange bandana covering the top of my head.

Andrew's eyes matched his own hair too. He had long hair halfway down his back with a claw sticking out at the end, a sign of strength and bravery in a Selkie. His hair made him look feminine, but his chest was as flat as a 13-year-old boy's could be, and it was bare. His tunic seemed like a dress. It was the same color as mine, but much fancier. I didn't have time to describe.

He was half a head taller than me, just because I was twelve and he was thirteen.

"I really wish I was treated like a villager," he confessed. "It's not very pleasant to be praised all the time and treated like a king." He sighed.

I was surprised at his confession. I was jealous of all his special treatment, just because he was our caravaner.

Caravaners go into the dangers of the world to collect drops of myrrh from myrrh trees. They carry a chalice around to collect the drops of myrrh from the tree, and protect them from the dangerous miasma. Contact with the dangerous substance that was in the air causes death. They have to collect the myrrh to have the crystal keep it's mystical power of protecting towns and cities from miasma. If not kept running, miasma would kill the town.

However, each tree has only one drop of myrrh that replenishes once every other year, so the caravaners are always on the move.

There is much I didn't know about the job, but I did know it contained a lot of honor, because it was so important and dangerous.

Every year that Andrew returned, the whole village would celebrate and he would be welcomed and honored and honored and honored. It wasn't that I wanted to be a caravaner, because I was a coward and a pushover, but because everyone forgot about me. I was the one who cared for the animals and crops, and that means that I provide the village's fruits, vegetables, and poultry.

"I get lonely on my trips too, and terribly homesick. The job is very tough for one person, and usually two or three caravaners travel together for one village."

"Your point is...?" I snapped.

He blushed, not a thing he usually did around me. Stammering he forced the words out of his mouth. "I want you to come with me and be my partner on my journey," he said.


	2. Chapter 2 Battle at Sunrise

His face turned as red as the horizon. The sun lit up my confused eyes. The world around us was silent.

I am too young to set out yet, I had to wait one more year before I could even think about becoming a caravaner. I could feel my own face warming up, but Andrew was far more fair than I, so his red face indeed was very red.

Andrew stepped towards me, but I stepped back. "I can't go," I told him. "I'm am not yet old or strong enough, if I came then, wouldn't I be a burden?"

The red slipped away from his. "You needn't worry, Mia, I-"

A screech coming from my yard interrupted him, and an answer of panic and worry jolted from me. "The hens!"

We ran to my yard, and a revolting image flashed before my eyes. One of the hens had been sliced neatly in half in a puddle of feathers and blood. Standing behind was a mutated thing. It was in ragged, brown clothes and had red, wrinkled skin. The spear it was carrying gave no comfort.

Andrew grabbed his weapon, the aura racket, and swiped at the monster. "How did this goblin get in here!"

The goblin snarled and screeched as Andrew pummeled it on the head, pounding and buffeting it with his wooden racket. It yelp as it was hit on the tail, but then Andrew panted and rested for a split second. The goblin stole his chance to deliver a blow of his spear at Andrew, and Andrew's necks was barely cut. Blood trickled onto his tunic and down his chest. He gasped for breath and backed away.

I was nearly in tears. If this was a common battle, I would definitely refuse to go. I'm guessing my gasps for air caught it's large ears, and it threw a pebble at me. It barely grazed my cheek, but it left an unpleasant stinging feeling that brought the tears out.

Andrew glared at the enemy, and his eyes narrowed. "You leave her alone," he bellowed as he sent blasts of energy from his racket at the goblin.

The goblin dodged each blasts, jumping from left to right. It threw it's spear at Andrew, but he did a perfect backflip and avoided it. The spear fell into the lake and the goblin screamed in distress. It ran right up to Andrew and punched him in the stomach.

Andrew's eyes closed and he fell onto the ground, very still. I frantically gathered my wits and tried to shake him awake. "Please Andrew, get up!" He appeared to be breathing, which was a good sign. I dragged his lightweight body to the river and tried to give him a drink of water, but the water dribbled down his cheek and he remained still.

The goblin screeched in triumph as it found its spear and us. I stood up and something shiny and sharp fell from the sky and landed at my feet. I pulled it out of the ground and smiled as I saw its form.

The sword had a golden handle and a blade with the sharpest tip I ever saw. I pointed it at the goblin and it backed off, grunting with confusion.

I lunged at the goblin, sword outstretched, and as soon as I heard the sickening yelp of pain and death coming from the goblin as I stuck my sword through its chest, I felt as if fire had just burned my thigh, and I tried to scream as the pain intensified, but everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3 A Fresh Start

Sunlight leaked through the yellow spotted curtains that barely kept the light from shining into my eyes. I could see the light through my eyelids, and I felt a heavy weight on my bed next to me. I sat up and came face-to-face with Andrew, who merely grinned at me because...

I was mortified that I was in my nightgown, which was the same faded yellow as the curtains, and my orange bandana was off, revealing the golden stripes of hair at the top of my head. I tried to climb out of bed to shoo him out and change into some appropriate wear, but a burning in my thigh sent me back against the pillow. I felt beads of sweat on my forehead.

"Look who's up," he teased cheerfully. There was no difference in his stuck-up voice. His eyes shone mischievously. He sure had a bunch of different expressions than when in front of a crowd. He usually wore a proud smile, but I already discovered another part to him. A part of alternating feelings which often get mixed up in my own.

I tried to think of a comeback for his sneer, but I merely kept my trap shut.

He didn't seem surprised. "It's nice to be respected, don't you think?"

My stomach growled again, and I came to realize that I hadn't eaten breakfast. "What time is it?"

"You've been down with bubonic plague, well actually no, a severely cut thigh and it's been a day since you battled that devil of a dog."

My stomach nagged at me, begging for food. "Could you get something to eat?" I asked him.

He nodded, and went upstairs to the kitchen. I lay waiting for half an hour and he came back down, full of satisfaction.

I cleared my throat, hoping to catch his attention. I raised my eyebrows in question.

"You said to get something to eat, so I ate," he said innocently.

I forced tears back as my stomach practically was killing me to get something to eat. If I showed that I was sensitive to him, he would torment me for the rest of my life! I bit my lip in anger, and I could feel bitter tears forming in my eyes.

The insensitive Selkie looked startled. He started to panic as a single tear slid down my face and dropped onto my lap.

"Please don't cry, I'll get you a waffle with blueberry syrup! Just don't cry!" He ran upstairs and returned with a plate with a strawberry waffle with the purple liquid that I loved and cherished on it.

I hiccuped and thanked him. So, he did have a soft side. He was just reluctant to show it. I chewed the soft and sweet waffle and calmed myself down.

Tomorrow would be the day he left on his journey for myrrh, I reminded myself.

I couldn't refuse his offer. It would disgrace my family, my honor, and my tribe.

But the journey was filled with peril, fear, darkness, and pain. It contained a lot of honor, but in the end, Andrew didn't make it sound like he loved his job from top to bottom.

"I do hope you'll come with me," he gulped.

I sat there, eating my breakfast contently, thinking it over. I valued my honor more than anything. Perhaps I would give it a chance.

.:Later:.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Andrew must've spread the word about me joining him, for outside the house, my shy self hid behind the crowd-comfortable Andrew while they cheered for us, wished us luck, and gave us gifts for our journey. I swallowed my lump of fear. I couldn't possible disappointment. Not with my family, eyes shining and filled with tears of joy.

Andrew waved, and I wanted badly to glare at him, but I couldn't bring myself to, not in front of a terribly big audience.

The villagers put a pile of gifts for each of us. Andrew had a lot of meat and fish in his pile. I was glad he had them, because as a rancher boy he loved meat while I hated them.

He hated the food in mine. Stuff that a farmer girl would like like striped apples and cherry clusters filled up the majority of the pile. We had some milk from Andrew's family and pure water from the lake.

I took a closer look at Andrew's pile. He had plenty of money, and so did mine. In between the piles was a sacred chalice. Pale, old, but sturdy, the shimmering crystal on it was a deep blue, and the chalice itself was empty. All the myrrh Andrew collected last year was absorbed by the crystal already.

"It's about time we left this year," Andrew started as the crowd hushed. "I promise we won't let you down."

The crowd became a flurry of hands clapping and mouths opening and closing. I left the stage, relieved to get the attention off me.

We walked towards the exit of town, when Andrew stopped and whistled.

A mouse-like creature with a pair of closed eyes, a cute red nose, and lots of fur on his plump little self came flying towards us using his minute bat wings. His little tail was a red ball of fur at the end of a extra thick and strong hair.

"Long time no see, kupo! I see you have a teammate now, kupo!" it squealed.

Andrew nodded. "Mog, this is Mia, a Clavat friend I invited to come. She's a mighty fine fighter with a powerful sword. She saved my hide from a goblin with a spear yesterday!"

Mog bobbed up and down in the air, his wings beating furiously to keep him in the air. "Impressive, kupo!"

Andrew didn't seem to want to introduce Mog and me to each other, but he turned to me anyway. "Mia, this a moogle friend of mine. He helps me carry the chalice while I fight."

"But I get tired when area is too hot, kupo, or too cold, kupo! Then you two will have to carry it, kupo, until I have energy again, kupo!" Mog told me.

"We'll leave for the Goblin Wall. I haven't collected a drop of myrrh from there yet. It's near the fire miasma stream."

"Miasma stream?" I asked. I have never heard of such a thing before.

"See the crystal on the chalice, kupo? It's a certain element, kupo, called water! The element of the chalice, kupo, has to match the element of the stream, kupo!" Mog paused to catch his breath.

"In order to change the element of the chalice, kupo, you must place it in a hot spot, kupo! Hot spots also have elements, kupo!"

.:That Night:.

We had passed the River Belle Path, where Andrew had already collected a drop of myrrh, so we had to wait until next year before the myrrh replenishes and we could go there again.

I saw the river lined with all sorts of monsters, mostly goblins. I also saw a hedgehog pie, as Andrew called it. It indeed looked like a red hedgehog, but nothing like a pie.

I sat on the back of the wagon and enjoyed the scenery. Andrew was at the reins and keeping the strange blue animal in control.

Mog hummed as Andrew and I set up camp right outside of Port Tipa. We had a spicy-smelling blue tent put up and a crackling fire in a stone pit. Andrew roasted a steak and Mog and I nibbled at the cherry cluster. After filling our stomachs to the top, our fire burned out, and the true beauty of the night showed itself before my very eyes. The dark violet sky was covered in stars. Red stars that stood out and were bigger, blue stars that were minute and camouflaged with the white stars. The little rainbow of dots in the sky urged me to rest.

I climbed into the tent and took the orange sleeping bag. I didn't take anytime to feel it, because I fell into a comfortable, resting darkness.


	4. Chapter 4 Into Peril

The sun beat at the ground fiercely and with its heat somehow stirred up dust in the trail like a stampede of buffalo. We trudged through immense amounts of heat, and even saw a dried up river as our lips were cracked from thirst.

Andrew advised me to save it for an emergency and drink only a little bit at a time, since there was always a drought near the fire miasma stream.

"We're going to the Goblin Wall, and getting the myrrh drop there. Hopefully there is a fire hot spot around here, so we can get on out of this treachery."

I wanted to wail for water, but Mog, who carried the chalice while I merely sat on the wagon never complained, so I shouldn't either. He used his tiny paws to hold the chalice and his wings would flutter so fast they were a blur.

The road grew thinner and thinner, and we stopped for breakfast, but it was more like lunch without the meal before it. The sun was high in the sky, shining as fierce as ever like a dragon preying upon the ones on the road, where we're most vulnerable to heatstroke, fever, colds, and other conditions.

I don't know how the wagon keeps all our things cool, for the fruit I bit into was as juicy and fresh as ever. It was slightly bruised. I felt sorry for Andrew, who had to eat raw meat because if he started a fire, surely we would not fare so well with the heat. The air was already slightly baking the meat for him, but the insides spurted blood when cut open.

Andrew didn't seem too pleased, but Mog didn't mind, he and Andrew ate two big slices, and I ate my fruit.

We set off again, and the road soon became half as thin as it originally did. The sun, after beating us for the whole day, finally set, and we set up camp again under the stars, and rested after an exhausting day.

.:The Next Day:.

We set off again, knowing for sure that we were going to reach Goblin Wall. Travel became easier once the air cooled down a fair amount. It was pleasantly warm now, not dreadfully hot.

Andrew dug into my brown eyes with his pale blue eyes again. When I looked at him directly, he turned his attention to the reins again. When we stopped for lunch, Andrew finally spoke to me again.

"Doesn't seem like the best thing in life, does it?"

I shook my head, and images of my brothers and the hens and the garden formed in my head, and a lumped formed in my throat.

"Last year it was pretty cold because the miasma stream was water. The elements change every year."

I nodded solemnly and tried not to choke on my food. The lump was growing.

His eyes kept my burning brown ones looking into them. I could see him choking up too. The spell broke. He looked away.

We continued eating, then set off, but this time I took one rein, and he took the other, and we sat there steering the strange blue creature together. I could feel my face getting hot and his body getting tense. I could feel the rough rope that had left scars and rope burns on Andrew's delicate hands. Mine were hard and taut from work at home before the journey.

"I'll take the reins. Why don't you, um, sit on the back of the wagon and, er, enjoy the scenery?" I suggested.

Andrew looked at me.

For the first time since I met him, he looked truly happy, and grateful.

.:Later:.

I stopped the wagon in front of a huge deserted house with its grayed windows broken and its door missing. The trees looked like skinny hands, and my heart pounded. A faded sign appeared to say "Tipa Jail." I heard Andrew get off the wagon and stand next to me. And eerie wind blew at us, but we just stared at the huge building as the spirits of the wind whispered. That's how I interpreted the wind's message anyhow.

My first real peril. Fear consumed me as I walked into unknown territory. But I knew, that Andrew would always be there for me. The three of us, Mog, Andrew, and I, ventured into the monster-filled place, ready to fight.


End file.
